Practical small piano



Jan. 10, 1967 w. s. FINHOLM PRACTICAL SMALL PIANO Filed Aug. 26, 1964 United States Patent 3,296,917 PRACTICAL SMALL PIANO William S. Finholm, 640 Riverside Drive, New York, NSY. 10031 Filed Aug. 26, 1964, Ser. No. 392,287 8 Claims. (Cl. 84-174) My invention relates to'pianos, and more particularly relates to au improved piano of the low upright type.

Upright pianos developed historically in answer to the need for a relatively compact instrument. The device of arranging the piano strings in the vertical rather than 'the horizontal plane effectuated great compaction, but introduced serious problems into design of the action. The action is the system of mechanical parts associated with each piano key, that translates the touch on the key to a striking of the corresponding string. It is extremely important in design of any piano, that the action not be compromised with regard to space or the like, because the whole worth of the piano as an instrument depends on the ability of the player to evoke the proper response from the piano strings by exactly the right touch on the' keyboard.

The action of the modern piano has been called the most perfect lever chain ever devised by man. In general, the upright piano, in the present state of the art, has also been perfected so that the necessarily modified action thereof may be considered comparable to the standard action in its function. However, the need that brought the upright piano into existence, namely the need for a more compact instrument, did not cease with its introduction and perfection as a musical instrument. Through the years, greater and greater demands have been placed on piano designers to further decrease the size (especially the height and front-to-rear depth) of the upright piano, in order to accommodate the closer quarters of modern small homes, and especially urban and urbanV apartment living.

In general, a piano is an instrument for producing certain sounds in a certain way, when operated with a certain touch by a skilled operator. Any size reduction must not affect these musical attributes, or the objective is not attained. Stated differently, a toy piano can be constructed so as to 'be of small size, but it is not a piano in the sense of a musical instrument. In order to remain a musical instrument, a piano must have a standard keyboard not so reduced in size as to prevent playing, it must have standard strings carefully scaled and mounted with a sounding board so as to produce proper piano sounds when struck, and it must have hammers of suicient size, weight, density, and quality, to evoke those piano sounds. Finally, it must have an action (i.e., a plurality of actions, one for each key) that provides the aforesaid touch feeling and tone response.

In the prior art there have appeared attempts to reduce the size or spacing of the action, so as to reduce still further the size of the upright piano. While it has been recognized that further decreases in size, especially front to back depth, would have to involve a space saving in the action (since the strings and many other parts are limited by musical physics or human anatomy), it has also been recognized that basic or radical changes in the standard upright action design would not produce a piano, but a toy. This must be so, because to be a piano as a musical instrument, it must respond in its linkages as Well as a full standard keyboard piano. In other words, part of the denition of a piano is the accepted system of linkages, or something close to it. Consequently radical changes such as proposed in U.S. Patent 1,968,695 to Lundholm, cannot produce an acceptable musical instrument. The problem in the art is to further reduce the depth as Well as height of small upright pianos. De-

sirably the depth of such an upright piano would be reduced from the present range of 191/2 to 24, down to 15l or slightly less, and the height would be reduced to 34 to 36, While preserving the basic action function, and of course the sizes of the other musically relevant elements in the combination. Such a small upright piano could be employed in group teaching where several pianos are assembled in a single room.

What is needed in the art therefore, are improvements in the upright piano suflicient to reduce the size thereof appreciably, yet Without any sacrifice of musical tone or touch, by compaction of all elements (including the standard upright action parts) without radical changes which would so change the musical response as to render the instrument something other than an acceptable piano instrument. Since further Compactness and musical acceptability were previously thought to be mutually exclusive, or at leastto be different and conflicting ends, the attainment of such improvements is a distinct advance in the art. Such improvements and features would also be applicable in the construction of small automatic player pianos, piano-organ combinations, and automatic control piano teaching devices.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an upright piano of small height and depth combined with excellent touch and tone.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a piano wherein the parts are easily accessible for servicing or replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simplied and more economical upright piano of musical instrument quality.

Another object of the invention is `to provide a more attractive small upright piano.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood upon examination of the detailed description of one illustrative embodiment of the inventive principles set forth hereinbelow, when taken with the drawing, in which:

The ligure is a cross-sectional side view of a piano according to the invention showing internal details of construction and simplified so that only one assembly of key and action and hammer is shown.

Briefly, the piano according to the invention achieves the aforesaid objectives by employing an angled key arrangement wherein a portion of Ithe key leverage is attained in the vertical plane so as to reduce the depth of the horizontal portions of the keys, and by combining this feature with an improved :compact action and an improved compact sounding board assembly and Casework, so as to allow reduction of the depth of the upright piano from the prior art minimum of about 191/2" to a present depth of l5 with not reduced, in fact with better tone and touch. It is a feature of the invention that this desirable combination of attributes is attained with a direct attack action, while prior art attempts have employed the musically undesirable indirect attack approach.

Referring now to the figure, a piano 10 according to the present invention comprises a general enclosure 11 including a sounding board 12 constituting the rear thereof, an extended key frame 13 at the upper front thereof, and a slanted bottom board 14 forming adequate space at the lower portion of the piano for accommodation of the lower extremities of a seated player. A screen 14a covers a port in the upper front of the piano and increases sound volume and dispersal. In general, the relationship of the main parts of the piano according to -the invention will be familiar to those skilled in the art of construction and operation of pianos, and accordingly it is not believed necessary to describe all of the various elements which make up the complete internal and external details of the piano according to the invention. However those elements which are essential to the invention will be described in detail.

Carried on key frame 13 is a keyboard 15 terminated by a thin key slip 16 and carrying a plurality of keys one of which is shown at 17. The length of key frame 13 jutting out from the front of enclosure 11 is appreciably shortened relative to prior art arrangements by virtue of the aforesaid thin key slip 16, but most especially because of the greatly shortened keys 17. The distance from the outer extreme 17a of each key 17 to the key balancing support 18 is very appreciably shortened in the piano according to the present invention by virtue of the employment of an angular key extension 17C which depends at a right angle from the inner end 17b of key 17 on the inner side of key balancing support 18.

By the aforesaid means the length of each key in the horizontal plane is greatly diminished, while by virtue of the key extension 18 in the vertical plane, a superior mechanical advantage is attained nevertheless. This superior mechanical advantage results from the unique interaction between key extension 17C and an extension on the wippen described hereinbelow. While in ordinary upright pianos a key ratio of 3 :2 is common, employment of extension 1S as taught herein allows reduction of this ratio to 2:3 or less, so that the playing end length of the key is short in relation to the length of key on the opposite side of the key balancing support fulcrum 18. This shortening of keys 17, together with thin key slip 29, contributes to the reduction in depth possible with the present piano, while nevertheless actually improving the action because of the mechanical advantage added as described hereinbelow. l

Carried near the lower end of depending member 17C is a roller member 19. Intermediate roller member 19 and the opposed end of depending key extension member 17c is a key pad 17d, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The main action brackets are shown at 20 affixed to a portion of the frame 20a of the piano. Carried by bracket 20 is a wippen 21 which communicates with the jack 23. The front end of wippen 21 carries an alignment wire 24 which constitutes a wippen extension and which terminates in a wippen block 25 having a padded face in contact with roller 19 of depending key extension 17e.

The wippen 21 has its rear end pivoted at 22 to a flange 54 fixed to the rail 55 by a screw 24a. An adjustable padder rod 26 is attached to bracket 20 and communicates with a wippen screw 27 adjustably mounted at the underside of wippen 21, and acts to adjust the position of the jack 23 as well as to act as a rest cushion for the wippen and a weight for speedy return. A hammer 28 is poised in relation to a corresponding sounding string 29 and is carried by a hammer shank 30 which terminates in a butt 31. The back of shank 30 normally rests against a pad 32 aliixed to pivoted hammer rail 33. Butt 31 is pivoted at 34 to a flange 34a fixedly mounted on the rail 55 by a screw 34b. Attached to butt 31 is a semicircular portion of thick bendable Wire 35 or the like which arches backwardly relative to hammer 28 and thence downwardly along depending portion 17C in the vicinity of pad 17d thereon.

It is a feature of the invention that portion 35, because of its weight, acts to return hammer 28 to the normal position after a strike, wherein shank 30 rests against pad 32, and also serves to return a portion of the weight of hammer 28 and the associated linkage upon pad 17d (which during a strike is arched upwardly in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in the ligure) so as to spare the pivots and smaller parts below butt 31 from repeated shocks and wear during playing of the piano. Wire 35 is bendable for weight and rest adjustment. By eliminating various springs and wires employed in the prior art, member 35 helps foster the compactuess attained by the present invention.

. Jack 23 is restrained by spring 36 which is anchored to flange 54 and acts to return jack 23 aftera strike. An adjustable regulating screw 37 is mounted through jack 23 so as to be axially variable so that end 37a may be adjusted to approach nearer or further from protuberance 25a on rail 55. As will appear hereinafter it is a feature of the invention that the action of button 37a in cooperation with protuberance 25a allows a better jack action in a reduced combination of parts.

A plate casting 38 is rigidly affixed to the general frame of enclosure 11 and is fabricated in an appropriate metal. Plate 38 carries a series of pedal springs 39 at the lower end thereof, and also carries the aforesaid plurality of sounding strings 29 arranged along the upwardly projected portion of plate 38 and extending along the rear of the enclosure 11. A bridge 40 for strings 29 is carried by plate 38, and may be adjusted by means of wedge 41. The tension of strings 29, which may amount to l7-20 tons, is thereby carried by plate 38 via bridge 40 and wedge 41, thus eliminating the necessity for a complex and bulky sounding board assembly including back assemblies and ribs. The pedal springs 39 carried at the bottom of plate 38 communicate by means of stainless steel or other non-corrodible wires 42 via rollers 43 and adjusting means 44 with the upper laction parts soas to afford pedal action thereon without complicating rods and levers and the like. This simplification again affords compaction of the apparatus.

Spaced from plate 38 is the sounding board 12 which is fabricated in a strong laminated material, preferably of spruce cut in two and reglued without reversal or crossing of the grain, and which may be finished at its outer surface to conform in appearance to the other exposed surfaces of enclosure 11. Although bridge 40 is carried structurally by plate 38 (with its load from the strings) it nevertheless is attached to sounding board 12 at end 40a by gluing or the like. In the prior art it is customary to employ a structural sounding board having cumbersome support brackets and ribs on the board itself. In addition to taking up space, such sounding boards are unattractive when viewed from the rear of the piano. It is thus a feature of the invention .that proper employment of metal plate 38 in accepting stress eliminates the need of a structural sounding boa-rd with clumsy back supports which are both unattractive and cumbersome. Thus further compaction of the piano according to the present invention is afforded.

Fallboard 45 telescopes into the main enclosure space when keyboard assembly 13 is to be exposed. Side pressure cushions 46 eliminate need of additional parts for guiding the movement of fallboard 45, and stop 47 prevents its complete withdrawal when pulled out to cover keyboard 13. A slot 49 appears in the sounding board 12, and runs diagonally therein. The slot is bordered on the inside surface of sounding board 12 by reinforcing block 48. By means of slot 49 a grip may be had at any of a range of heights lon the back of the piano, so that it may be lifted for moving. By avoiding protuberances, this design affords further compaction.

It will now be appreciated that the present invention provides an advance in further compactness of a small upright piano, yet with good touch, tone, and accessibility of parts for repair and the like. The keys 17 may easily be removed as units by lifting them up and off the keyboard 13. Each of the internal parts, such as 24, 35, 27, and the like, can easily be reached from above or by removing the slanted board 14 and/or the keys 17, and adjustment thereof by the appropriate bending or turningin can then be effected. The depth and height of the instrument are reduced, if desired, to 15" and 32" respectively, yet full knee ro-om and a genuine touch and tone are provided nevertheless. The extra rigidity and dimensional stability afforded by employing metal plate 38 increases the quality of the tone, and the screened part 14a aids in its dispersal. The main function of plate 38 is of course to allow redesign of the sounding board 12 so as tion include features such as the arched member 35 and.

the special jack 23 arrangement, which aiord compaction with simplication for serviceability under conditions of compaction.

In operation, actuation of the key 17 is adapted to apply a kick to wippen extension 24 via padded block 25, and wippen 21 thereby causes jack 23 to trip across protuberance 25a and drive hammer 28 into string 29. After striking, hammer 28 assumes a back-checked position free of string 29. During back-check, the jack 23 attains a back-check relation to butt 31 of hammer 28, and the arched member 35 contacts the pad 17d on the now arcuately lifted depending portion 17e of key 17. When the key is released, depending portion 17C drops to the vertical position due to gravity, the hammer 28 returns to rest on pad 32 due primarily to the Weight of arched portion 35, and wippen 21 returns to the horizontal position as shown under the combined influences of the butt 31, the adjustable means 27, and the restraint of roller 19 on pad 25. The action as described, is simplified and reduced in cornplexity so that compaction with serviceability is attained, and also so that the basic touch of the standard action is retained and improved upon. In addition other features are combined therewith, particularly the compact and non-structural sounding board and the angled and thus compacted keys, so as to attain the stated objectives including compactness and quality as a musical instrument nevertheless.

While I have shown and described what I consider to be the best embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that it is clear and contemplated that various changes in form and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The specic embodiment shown is thus illustrative, not limiting.

What I claim is:

1. A compact upright piano comprising a keyboard having a plurality of bent keys each pivoted near the bend thereof and each having a relatively short horizontal playing portion and a vertically depending portion, a plurality of wippens mounted below and rearwardly of said key horizontal playing portions, a plurality of hammers above said wippens, a vertically disposed metal frame carrying a plurality of strings across a bridge and rearwardly of said plurality of hammers, a sounding board disposed essentially parallel to and rearwardly of said plurality of strings and communicating with said bridge, an actuating element for each hammer in operative relation to a corresponding one of said wippens and eX- tending upward therefrom, and an upward extension of each said wippen adapted to receive the keying thrust of a corresponding one of said depending key portions.

2. A compact upright piano comprising a keyboard having a plurality of bent keys each pivoted near the bend thereof and each having a relatively short horizontal playing portion and a vertically depending portion, a plurality of wippens mounted below and rearwardly of said key horizontal playing portions, a plurality of hammers above said wippens, a vertically disposed :metal frame carrying the tension of a plurality of strings across a bridge and rearwardly of said plurality of hammers, a sounding board disposed essentially parallel to and rearwardly of said plurality of strings and communicating with said bridge, an actuating element for each hammer in operative relation to a corresponding one of said wippens and extending upward therefrom, said actuating element including a fixed cam protuberance and a member movable by said wippen so as to be triggered by said cra-m protuberance into acutating relation with said hammer, and an upward extension at the forward portion of each said wippen adapted to receive the keying thrust of a corresponding one of said depending key portions.

3. A compact upright piano comprising a keyboard having a plurality of bent keys each pivoted near the bend thereof and each having a relatively short horizontal playing portion and a vertically depending portion, a plurality of wippens mounted below and rearwardly of said key horizontal playing portions, a plurality of hammers above said wippens, a vertically disposed metal frame carrying :the tension of a plurality of strings across a bridge and rearwardly of said plurality of hammers, a sounding board disposed essentially parallel to and rearwardly of said plurality of strings and communicating with said bridge, an actuating element for each hammer in operative relation to a corresponding one of said wippens and extending upward therefrom, said actuating element including a Xed cam pro-tuberance and a member movable by Isaid wippen so as to be triggered by said cam protuberance into actuating relation with said hammer, la counterweight carried by the lower portion of each said hammer adapted to return said hammer to rest on said depending key portion after striking of said string during depression of said key horizontal playing portion and to fully return said lhammer after release of said key, and an upward extension at the forward portion of each sai-d wippen adapted to -receive the keying thrust of a corresponding one of said depending key portions.

4. A compact piano according to claim 3 wherein said sounding .board comprises a laminated wood sheet.

5. A compact piano according to claim 3 wherein said sounding -board includes means defining a slotted grip therein.

6. A compact piano according to claim 3 wherein said keyboard includes a thin imbedded key slip contiguous with the forward edge thereof.

7. A compact piano according to claim 3 wherein said depending key portion includes a roller for contact with said upward extension of the wippen, and wherein said upward extension of the wippen is Irelatively stify resilient, and wherein said wippen rests at a counterweight member which also acts -to adjust the rest position of said wippen.

8. A compact piano according to claim 3 wherein said counterweight comprises a bendable thick wire which arches suiciently to reach said depending key portion during backcheck.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,695 7/1934 Lundholm 84-174 1,999,914 4/ 1935 Nylund 84-174 2,469,568 5/ 1949 Miessner 84-240 2,550,153 4/1951 Ketterman 84-240 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COMPACT UPRIGHT PIANO COMPRISING A KEYBOARD HAVING A PLURALITY OF BENT KEYS EACH PIVOTED NEAR THE BEND THEREOF AND EACH HAVING A RELATIVELY SHORT HORIZONTAL PLAYING PORTION AND A VERTICALLY DEPENDING PORTION, A PLURALITY OF WIPPENS MOUNTED BELOW AND REARWARDLY OF SAID KEY HORIZONTAL PLAYING PORTIONS, A PLURALITY OF HAMMERS ABOVE SAID WIPPENS, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED METAL FRAME CARRYING A PLURALITY OF STRINGS ACROSS A BRIDGE AND REARWARDLY OF SAID PLURALITY OF HAMMERS, A SOUNDING BOARD DISPOSED ESSENTIALLY PARALLEL TO AND REARWARDLY OF SAID PLURALITY OF STRINGS AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BRIDGE, 